My first Wolves game was a dreary home defeat to Coventry back in 2004.
Over the following years, the club always seemed to be one step from disaster. This was certainly true of our managers, who were only ever a bad run of form away from having their futures become the main talking point on Radio WM.
Mick McCarthy and Kenny Jackett both had good reigns, but neither managed to capture the imagination of the entire Molineux fanbase.
Nuno changed all that. From his first day on the job, you sensed that things were going to be taking a turn for the better.
If his calm, philosophical demeanour was completely out of keeping with his predecessors, the football his team served up was positively extra-terrestrial.
Five at the back and pace in attack. That was our mantra for four years that, while not unprecedented, was befitting of the Wolves of yesteryear.
Trips to Wembley, European ventures and wins against the ‘Big Six’ are the obvious recollections, but the really gratifying moments were often the most understated.
That sun-soaked Championship opener in which we played Middlesbrough off the park. Our first half masterclass away at Bournemouth and the barnstorming comeback against Southampton last season.
These results are nothing to gloat about, but if you were there you know just how defining they felt. As the man himself so beautifully put it, dreaming is for free and his tenure dared us to do so again.
This season was an ugly one to watch, but there were always mitigating circumstances to contend with. Poor recruitment and rotten luck with injuries being chief among them.
Nuno deserved the chance to go again next term and Fosun will have to go some way to remove the sour taste his departure has left.
Whoever the replacement is, he will be backed by the majority of supporters. But I seriously doubt whether they – or any other Wolves manager – will ever forge a bond with us like Nuno did.
Thanks for the memories gaffer.
Greetings Nuno,
Thanks Nuno for your four years of service and achievements. Thanks for giving us a chance to see some decent football, thanks for bringing Diogo Jota and Rual Jiminez to the club. Thanks for giving us days of happiness and lifting us out of the Bull and Bladder to venture into Europe. Thanks for giving us 2 seasons in the prem when we didn’t get twatted every w/e. Thanks for bringing the breeze to ‘little portugal’, (we should twin up with Porto legally).
You will be remembered with affection in my heart, a good man and coach of men, slow to blame and shame, but with a burning desire to do the best for the team.
May your future be long and happy. One Love.
Very difficult. My heart said he deserves another season, my head said, time to move on.
Still in a state of shock. Newspaper stories today about disagreement over transfer policy make for interesting and worrying reading. I do hope we can give him a good send off.
Nuno
A man and coach loved throughout the game
‘Ledgend’
Wish you were here?
Not quite the result we wanted today.
Thank you BT Sport for allowing the cameras to linger pitch side after the match to capture the players’ guard of honour for Nuno and his coaching staff. I have to say it made me wipe away some liquid stuff from my eye.
Lets just thank god that Neves is also out the door. Awful midfielder. A couple wonder goals dont mean anything.